Michigan State Police shows how it will use drone

A Michigan State Police drone flies over a training lot at the Michigan State Police Training Academy on Thursday during a demonstration of the new piece of gear.(Photo: Alan Ward, Livingston County Daily Press & Argus)

The Michigan State Police has a new eye in the sky as it begins using a drone to enhance law enforcement efforts.

State police pilots provided media a demonstration of its Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) — an Aeryon SkyRanger, more commonly called a drone — at the department's Precision Driving Unit track on Canal Road in Lansing on Wednesday afternoon.

The pilot, Sgt. Matt Rogers, flew the drone over a simulated crash on the test track while Sgt. Jerry King stood by as the safety officer.

"It can be frightening to people," Chief Pilot Lt. Patrick Lawrence said, acknowledging the public's concern about privacy with the use of drones.

"We know it has the potential to improve the services we provide to our fellow officers … and also to provide better service to the citizens of the state," he added.

State police has already flown its first mission with the drone when it flew over a suspected arson fire in Jenison.

Rogers said the drone also could have benefited investigators at the massive tanker fire on I-94 in Dearborn on Wednesday because it can hover over a potentially hazardous scene and capture it in picture and video.

Lawrence said those images would then be "seamed together to get one continuous" photograph that could assist investigators at hazardous materials scenes, in search and rescue efforts, or crime or crash investigations.

The state police is the first law enforcement agency to receive Federal Aviation Administration approval to use the drone for public safety efforts. The authorization allows the state police's Aviation Unit to support requests for service from any law enforcement agency within the state.

First Lt. Christopher Bush, field support aviation commander for the state police, said the unit's No. 1 goal is transparency in how the department will use the device and safety.

Lawrence, who served 30 years as a pilot with the National Guard, said the device will only be flown in law enforcement situations and a chain of command will determine the legitimacy of requests for the drone's use.

"We are only going to be flying this device for law enforcement purposes," he said. "Any aircraft going over your house can be capturing you."

Inspector Matt Bolger with the department's special operations division noted that department officials consulted with the American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, to address any potential privacy concerns for the public and policy developed through that collaboration requires video not related to the specific investigation be "discarded or destroyed in a timely fashion."

The state police's policy also calls for the device to remain below 400 feet and always be within the sight of the crew. The two-person crew includes a pilot and a safety observer. Both crew members are certified pilots with the state police.

The pilot operates the drone with a tablet that uses global positioning system that includes programmable variables, such as boundaries set by altitude and longitude. When the pilot touches the tablet with a stylus the drone will hover over that spot identified on the tablet.

The device, which was funded through a $160,000 federal grant, has added safety features, including when the battery is low or loses its link, the drone will automatically return to prevent crashes. It also operates in temperatures ranging between minus 22 degrees to 122 degrees.

When asked whether use of the drone required a search warrant, Lawrence said it depended on the circumstances of investigation.

"It has the same requirements as our manned aircraft," he explained. "If there's no search warrant required, it won't be required, but if a search warrant is required, then it's required."

So far, the state police has purchased only one drone to see if it meets law enforcement's expected needs. Where the department goes, however, depends on the times, Bush said.

"We're going to be taking baby steps because it's new technology," he said.